I started out the year with the decision to stay put for a while to “sort myself out,” as the Brits say. Unfortunately, as with most British sayings, I have yet to get the hang of what that means, exactly, which explains why these past few months I’ve been one little stress ball.
So, of course, what do I do? When I need to recharge my batteries, nothing quite does it like traveling. Because I wanted sun, sand and salt water, I knew I had to pick a tropical-like destination (nothing is better than London summertime and all the adventures it brings, but at the same time, its nice to sweat a little!), but I wanted to do more than lay about on the beach for a few weeks.
Thailand seemed like the perfect mix of touristing, lazy beach days, boozy nights out, new friend-making and, most important of all, interesting opportunities for unexpected adventures.
Wat Chiedi Leung
Inside of Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn
Wat Doi Suthep
The first stop on our two-week tour was Chiang Mai, an ancient city in Northern Thailand.
You may remember that a few weeks ago the coup in Thailand was all over the news. I heard mixed reports about how worried I should be, both from friends on the ground in Thailand as well as people who had visited over the years. Therefore, I was more than a little apprehensive about what the situation would be- but I quickly learned that, per usual, the Western media made much ado about something that seems to be affecting the lives of most Thais very, very little.
Inside of another part of Wat Phra Singh Woramahaviharn
While we didn’t talk to many Thais about the coup, I can offer my two cents as to why it seemed to have such little impact on the lives of most people. First, the king is a BIG deal there. I’ve never seen so many pictures, statues, coins and likenesses of anybody in so condensed a space- this includes Jesus and, dare I say, Buddha in Thailand. Since the king condoned the coup, I think that’s enough to satisfy many people. Second, I didn’t realize just how profoundly religious people are in Thailand. I’m not talking about American crazy Christian Evangelicalism or anything like that; religion just permeates everything Thais do on a cultural level, “secularism” doesn’t seem to really be a thing there. For this reason, I think that mass violence would be highly distasteful to most Thai people.
I think my favorite thing about Chiang Mai, and Thailand in general, is how religion really percolates into the very core of every moment. I’m used to living in a Western world where you leave that personal stuff at the door when you leave for work or school in the morning, and cathedrals and stained glass windows are pretty, haunting reminders of a bygone era. In Chiang Mai, there’s a wat (temple) around every corner, as prolific as 7 Eleven (those are pretty popular, too). Monks walk among the people, no big deal, and everyone seems to find time to pray. Even if religion isn’t your cup of tea, it is really interesting to see this very, very different approach to life.
My favorite of the gods- Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and patron of intellect.
I think I dragged V to every temple in Chiang Mai- my favorite, and I suspect this is something I share with most people, is Wat Doi Suthep, which is actually about a 30-minute drive from city center, up the sacred mountain Doi Suthep. You have to take about 15 modes of transport to get up there- and DON’T walk, whatever you do, unless you want to be hit by a moped speeding down the mountain!
There are over 300 stairs to get to Wat Doi Suthep- but it is well work the trek, and the art on the staircase is beautiful!
The outside of Wat Doi Suthep
Wat Doi Suthep has a pretty cool story attached to it. It was built after the king of Chiang Mai set a sacred elephant loose to select the most holy site to build a temple. The elephant stopped after several days of trekking on the top of the mountain, and they broke ground on this amazing temple that very day. Unlike most old things in Chiang Mai, it isn’t crumbling under the stress of heat and sun and years of use. You could eat off the floor and, if I hadn’t gone on a cloudy day, I’d be blinded by the shiny gold temple.
Wat Doi Suthep
Prayer screen at Wat Doi Suthep
Me at Wat Doi Suthep
The view from Doi Suthep— look at the city of Chiang Mai and the weirdest cloud ever above- looks like a drowning dog!
Ganesha at Wat Doi Suthep
Despite the fact that I could have spent every day walking around every temple in town, variety is the spice of life. I’ve gotta say, we spiced it up a LOT.
One day in Chiang Mai, we got up at 6am to do a sunrise zipline tour with Flight of the Gibbons. It’s a fantastic way to get into the jungle outside of the city and scream your heart out!
The small town where we ziplined.
Mentally prepping- I’m not 100% keen on heights.
V, however, was cool as a cucumber.
Not only did we zipline about 12 different tracks of up to 700 metres (and goodness knows how high, we were in the canopy!) we got to make friends with a group of baby gibbons. They really liked me, and wouldn’t let go of my hand!
Our guide Cash, who loved to wind me up and hear me bellow like George of the Jungle!
Lovely, loving baby gibbons
Me and V on the liiiiiiiiine!
A survival celebration juice with Cash and Home, our guides.
The next day, we visited Patara Elephant Farm. There are tons of places you can go in Chiang Mai, and Thailand in general, to ride an elephant. HOWEVER, most of these places don’t treat the elephants very well- think close to zoo-like living standards. I was a little on the fence about going to a place that gives tourists access to big animals at all. My thoughts have always been that humans+big, wild animals= not a good equation, unless the animal is beaten, drugged or overly domesticated. However, getting there, I totally changed my mind- if you’re ever in Chiang Mai, this is the only place to go.
Unlike places that let you hop on and off an elephant in a jiff, at Patara you spend an entire day with one elephant. You have the earn the privilege to ride an elephant by learning about the animal, bonding with a particular elephant and giving it a little health check up to make sure it can hold your weight (just kidding about that last part). I learned, for instance, that elephants only sweat from their cuticles, and its an integral sign of health!
Me, V and a baby elephant!
My elephant’s name was Bon Cha- we got on swell.
The farm staff pairs you with an elephant based on your size (hence why mine was biiiiiiig) and personality (hence why mine was flighty and, I swear, talked slightly like a valley girl compared to the others). Its a good thing, too, because you literally spend about four hours on the elephant’s back!
Elephant care is a full-time thing!
After bonding, a health check, a long jungle ride and a wash, you’re pretty in synch with your elephant- and pretty darn hungry. Luckily, the farm staff cooked up an amazing Thai spread for us, complete with vegetarian rices for me. The best part: Bon Cha literally ate the left overs as you seem them here. All I had to do was wrap them in the leaves, like a delicious Thai burrito!
The final highlight of the day is when, after taking care of your elephant, it “takes care” of you. I had a nice shower after all my diligent, hard veterinary work, thanks to Bon Cha and friends.
Another highlight of Chiang Mai was the night bazaar. I don’t recommend it for shopping purposes- the souvenirs include t-shirts, key rings, purses and other assorted trinkets you can find at pretty much any Southeast Asian market. HOWEVER, the entertainment cannot be matched. Anywhere.
Probably the strangest, most uncomfortable experience of the whole trip.
First, V and I were entertainment for passerby when we decided to get a fish pedicure. If you’ve ever done one, you can help me describe how strange a sensation is it to have about 200 fish eat away the dead skin on your feet and legs. It was tickly, tingly and frankly a little disconcerting. By the time I was finished, I’d sweat through my shirt. My body just didn’t know how to react to the tiny little things sucking away at my toes and ankles- should I be scared? Relaxed? Anxious? Tickled? I’m still wondering what my reaction should have been, but I know from the number of people who stopped to take pictures of me, it was nowhere close to appropriate.
After being the entertainment, we decided it was our turn to be entertained. A cabaret seemed like just the thing (and a few drinks to forget our traumatizing fish pedicure experience)!
All I can say is, these men make much better women than I do. And the music was the bomb diggity.
Chiang Mai was probably my favorite overall place in Thailand- perhaps because it was our first stop, and therefore my first introduction into Thai culture, which I loved. I’m not sure yet- I have to think on it. And what better food for thought than posting more adventures in Thailand?! Stay tuned!
Comments
Amazing! Your travels are giving me life right now. Enjoy!